


A Glimpse of Sunlight

by MerryLilHobbit



Series: Newt and Tina [23]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Children, Discussion of Abortion, Discussion of Holocaust, F/M, Family, Kneazles, Pregnancy, Romance, Unplanned Pregnancy, War, miracle baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 03:43:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9473849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerryLilHobbit/pseuds/MerryLilHobbit
Summary: Her watch gave a beep and she turned around, preparing to see the dull grey liquid swirling in the glass as it always had and always would.The potion was a brilliant blue.(OR: A miracle happens at the most unexpected time)





	1. Chapter 1

**October 1940:**

She had been hoping to slip back into her seat without anyone noticing, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of being caught – but _of course_ she couldn’t.

“You eaten something off, Tina?”

Tina winced as Dawkins peered around his desk at her; even with his eye-patch covering most of his face, she could tell that he was somewhat concerned. He had returned home from fighting on the front line – only for a brief few months, just to give him some relief – but it had _changed_ him all the same, made him somewhat more anxious.

She dreaded to know what he had seen.

“I’m fine.”

“Tina.” He looked at her pointedly. “We’ve been working together for…what? Eleven years now? I know when you’re fine and when you’re not – and you’re not, judging by the way you sprinted out the room just then. Come on, you can tell me…” He grinned, and suddenly it was like the old days, before he had gone to fight and lost his eye, when they could laugh together. “I’m your partner, remember?”

“I’m aware you’re my partner,” Tina muttered drily, but she smiled weakly all the same. “It’s nothing, honestly – it must have been something wrong with the pork we had last night at dinner...it had been in our fridge so long, it’d probably gone off.”

Dawkins chuckled at that, leaning back in his chair; he looked impossibly older than he had when he’d first left, she noticed, more _grey_ and lined. “I see. You’ll have to make sure Newt and the kids don’t have food-poisoning then…speaking of the kids, I was wondering when would be a good time to pop over and visit? It’s been too long since I last saw them…Phoenix must be a giant by now! He’s nine now, right?”

“Nine,” She agreed, and she couldn’t help but smile fondly at the photograph of the children on her desk – photographs were the only decoration on her desk, of course, and only a bare minimum. “He’ll be at school in a couple of years.”

“Oh, right!” Dawkins smiled knowingly. “He’ll absolutely _love_ Hogwarts, Tina – it’s the best wizarding school in the _world_.”

Tina raised an eyebrow and huffed. “Well, that’s _your_ opinion…but if you’d been to Ilvermorny, then you’d be singing a different tune.”

“ _Please_! Ilvermorny?” He chortled, knowing that he was hitting a nerve by teasing her. “At Ilvermorny, did you have _ghosts_ wandering the corridors? How about Quidditch Cups?”

“Ghosts…the more I hear, the less I’m convinced. Anyway,” She began hurriedly, not wanting to continue this conversation. “You know you’re welcome to visit whenever you want – just not _too_ late.”

“Alright, alright, I understand,” He assured her. “I just wanted to know so I could visit before…well.”

His grin disappeared, and Tina felt her shoulders sink because she _knew_ what he had been about to say: _before I go back to Bulgaria_. He wasn’t going to be on leave much longer.

“Well, I’m sure they’d enjoy a visit,” She told him quietly, looking across her desk at him; she had enjoyed having him back in the office more than she cared to admit, enjoyed getting to see her old partner again – it was going to be awful to have to say goodbye to him a second time, not knowing whether it really would be the last time she got to see him.

Dawkins nodded, not meeting her eye. “Yes. Well. I’ve got another week and a half left before I go back – I’ll make sure to pop by soon.”

As he settled back into his paperwork, fun and playful mood having completely disappeared, Tina found herself staring at the pile of papers in front of her and worrying; despite the fact she knew Dawkins was a skilled Auror and that he’d survived well enough so far, this entire war had _changed_ him and she _hated_ it. He’d lost an eye, face awfully scarred, and it hurt to compare what he looked like now to how he had once looked, years and years ago when the two of them had started working together.

 _At least he’s still alive…and he’s not missing either_ , she thought sadly; Theseus was still missing, and with each day that passed it seemed more and more unlikely that he’d be found alive and well. The entire Scamander family were distraught by the news – his wife, Margaret, their two daughters, his parents…Newt. The children. Tina, herself, missed him more than she cared to admit.

And then there was the question of what was going to happen to _her_ ; she was the only member of the Senior Investigative Team who hadn’t gone to fight, mostly due to the children, and so far she had been making herself useful by helping to train new recruits. The Ministry were sure to change her status soon, however – both the war with Grindelwald and the muggle one with Hitler were continuing to escalate rapidly. She would surely be needed – for the greater good.

The picture of her family – of Newt, herself and the children – caught her eye and she gnawed her lip; it was fairly recent, a moving black and white photograph, taken in the previous summer by Newt’s father. She watched as the picture version of Newt hefted Leo in his arms, making the boy giggle; she, herself, was laughing quite happily, Phoenix and Linnet on either side as they hugged her. This had been before the news of Theseus going missing, before a particularly nasty attack on a small team of Aurors in Poland – they had all be so happy, so carefree and relaxed, and she would have given anything for all of them to have stayed in that moment.

 _It’s for the greater good_ , Tina repeated in her mind resolutely – for if it helped her family somehow, it had to be more than worth it.

* * *

 

“Daddy, Daddy, my turn!”

Newt chuckled as he carefully lowered Leo down to the ground, shaking his head affectionately. “Alright, Lin, alright… Come on,” He told her, lowering himself to the floor so that they were level. “Hop on.”

Linnet beamed as she happily clambered onto his back, latching her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist; he gave a small groan because, _really_ , he was getting older and the children were getting _bigger_ and his back would be ruined by the time he reached fifty if this carried on.

Having said that, he couldn’t say no to his children – so, back be damned, really.

“Alright, hang on tight,” He instructed, straightening up. “Now, what shall I be this time?”

Linnet seemed to consider this for a moment, looking around the case – and then she grinned. “The Erumpent! And you’ve got to do the noises too!”

“Of course, Lin – I wouldn’t be an Erumpent unless I made the noises,” Newt assured her before setting off. “Right: on we go!”

Phoenix and Leo both cackled as they watched him start to charge around the case, letting out a series of grunts and snorts as he went; Linnet, clutching to his back, started to giggle wildly. So far that day, their father had been not only an Erumpent (twice now) but also a Graphorn, a Griffin, a Thunderbird and a “very tall, very big” Bowtruckle (that had, of course, been Leo’s suggestion).

By the time Newt had done a lap of sorts, he was absolutely _exhausted_ – he had been doing this for _hours_ , and that was after all of the other things he had had to do that day as well. However, he could never turn down a request from his children – and it _was_ admittedly a lot of fun.

“Thank you, Daddy!” Linnet chirped once she was safely off of his back again. “You made a good Erumpent!”

He grinned, unable to help himself from chuckling. “Thank you, Lin – I’m glad! Now, boys,” He turned to his sons expectantly. “Which of you is next?”

Phoenix gently nudged Leo forwards. “Your turn.”

“Do you not want to go, Phee?” Linnet asked, looking confused. “Daddy could be a phoenix if you want!”

“No, I’m…I’m fine.”

Newt put a hand on his eldest son’s shoulder. “You haven’t had a go at all – come on, just once won’t hurt, surely…”

“But…” Phoenix hesitated. “I’m _nine_ now – aren’t I too big?”

Admittedly, at nine-years-old, he should have been considered too big for this – and he was certainly tall for his age at that – but Newt found himself shaking his head. “Of course not: I’m not quite as old as you probably think I am, I can assure you.”

Linnet and Leo both giggled at that, and Phoenix finally smiled weakly. “Okay…just a little go then.”

It was a little harder, admittedly, to do this with a nine-year-old boy – but he’d been dealing with creatures of all sizes for decades now: a boy was nothing compared to some of the things he’d had to try and tame.

“Be a phoenix for Phoenix, Daddy!” Linnet called, and Leo nodded in agreement.

“What do you think, son? A phoenix?”

Phoenix grinned to himself. “Yes, okay – a phoenix!”

Newt chuckled before setting off once more, squawking and flapping his arms like they were wings. He was sure he looked like a complete and utter fool – but it was absolutely worth the humiliation, aching back and creaking joints when he heard his son let out a whoop in jubilation, spreading his own arms out.

He was just finishing a lap, rather out of breath again, when he heard Leo cry out, “MUMMY!”; sure enough, Tina was exiting the shed and beaming as their two youngest children ran to greet her.

“Hi, Mum!” Phoenix called happily, waving at her.

Tina looked over, raising her eyebrows at the sight of them. “What _are_ you two doing?”

“Daddy’s been giving us rides on his back,” Linnet explained excitedly. “I got him to be an Erumpent!”

“I see,” Tina said – but she was smiling again, clearly amused. “And what is he now?”

“Why, can’t you guess, dear?” Newt questioned teasingly, stretching out his arms again and flapping; he let out a series of squawks and cries, causing all three children to giggle loudly.

His wife snorted to herself fondly as he set their son down. “Of course…a phoenix?” When he nodded, she started to tut to herself. “That wasn’t _bad_ , but I’m fairly certain phoenix songs don’t sound nearly _that_ awful.”

The giggling had turned into full-blown laughter now, and Newt couldn’t help but grin warmly at her. “Ah, well, I tried my best - I think I _did_ make a wonderful Erumpent, on the other hand.”

Having seen him perform an Erumpent mating dance _multiple_ times, she couldn’t help the peals of laughter that escaped her.

* * *

 

She was woken up that morning by a small creature sitting on her chest and purring.

Tina gave a groan but reached to scratch the Kneazle behind the ears. “Yes, good morning to you too.”

Fuzzy (named, of course, by Linnet) nuzzled into her hand, tail swishing happily; the children had helped her rescue him a year ago, and he had become especially fond of waking her up in the morning. Early habits aside, he was a wonderful pet – Newt had informed her that Kneazles were loyal and affectionate if they liked the witch or wizard they belonged to, and it certainly appeared that Fuzzy _did_ enjoy the family’s company.

Plus, he was somewhat of an alarm-clock – every morning, at six-thirty without fail, he would wake Tina up for work. Whether he knew she was meant to be waking up for work, she didn’t know, but it didn’t seem too far-fetched an idea given that Kneazles were intelligent.

“I’m awake,” She mumbled to him, but she made no effort to move. “I’ll get up in a minute.”

He purred, shifting his weight; Tina gave another loud groan at the sudden sore feeling in her breasts, opening her eyes to look at him.

“You’re getting _heavier_ ,” She accused, though she wasn’t angry. “Has Linnet been feeding you her leftovers again?”

Fuzzy blinked, flicking his plumed tail.

“She has,” She affirmed. “Alright, now you’ve _actually_ woken me up…go on, you can go back to Linnet’s room now.”

The Kneazle jumped off the bed before watching her as she sat up; despite going to bed relatively early, she was so _tired_ – perhaps it was just work, she told herself, work and worrying about the children. Her chest was still sore, and she couldn’t help but sigh to herself – maybe it was just her time of the month making her feel like this.

Fuzzy gave a loud mewl, gazing at her; Tina huffed at him, rolling her eyes. “ _Yes_ , alright, I’m getting out of bed, mister. Don’t get your tail in a twist.”

Newt was still fast asleep in the bed, she noted, not waking as she busied herself with getting ready for the day; he didn’t even shift when she sat down on the edge of the bed beside him, buttoning her blouse as she watched him. He always looked so _peaceful_ and at ease when he slept, as silly as it sounded, absolutely unaware of the world around him; it allowed her to take him in, looking at his freckles and how they stood out against his pale skin, even in the moonlight.

She tried not to think about how heartbroken he would be if she got sent away – especially so soon after his brother had gone missing.

Once she was dressed, wand in her pocket, Tina pressed a kiss to the side of his head, cast one last look at him and made her rounds to check on each of the children. Though she was aware that they were all safe and sound in the house (thanks to a number of wards in place), it still gave her some comfort to see them for herself in the morning.

As expected, they were all still fast asleep; Phoenix was practically _buried_ under his duvet, only the top of his head peeking out. She smiled to herself at the sight of him, peeling back the covers just a bit so that she could press a kiss to his forehead. Linnet was spread out like starfish in her bed, one leg hanging out and arms wrapped around a cuddly toy of some kind – her reddish-brown hair was still tied back in a braid, and Tina gently undid it so that it could be loose; her daughter slept on, blissfully ignorant. Leo was curled up under his blankets, fringe falling on his face – he looked so remarkably like Newt, from the mussed hair to the smattering of freckles across his cheeks, that it made her heart warm to look at him. He was still small, much smaller than his older siblings had been at his age, and – in her eyes – still very much the baby of the family.

Routinely checks done, Tina quietly crept down the stairs and to the front room; because of the wards in place around the house, it was impossible to apparate or disapparate anywhere on the property – instead she had taken to using Floo Powder to travel to and from the Ministry every day. Reaching her hand into the pot by the fireplace, she noted to herself that she’d need to pick up some more Floo Powder at some point – probably lunch, if she was lucky – and stepped into the fireplace.

Having travelled by Floo numerous times, she was more than used doing it – and yet, for some reason, as she stepped out into her office she felt her stomach lurch rather unpleasantly.

The world seemed to be spinning as she staggered over to her desk, leaning against it for support; her stomach churned, bile rising, and before she knew it she was gagging into the wastepaper bin that had been on the floor nearby.

She was vaguely aware of the fireplace roaring again as someone used it; a moment later, she heard a familiar voice cry out, “Merlin’s Beard, Tina!”

“I’m…I’m fine…”

Dawkins was by her side immediately, putting an arm around her. “You’re so _bloody_ stubborn, you know that? Merlin, you’re actually _retching_ and you still insist you’re fine!” He pressed a hand against her forehead. “You’re not warm or anything… Have you eaten today?”

Tina shook her head, trying to straighten up and regain some dignity. “No, nothing.”

“Well, that’s probably why!” He tutted, though he was obviously worried. “You don’t _eat_ enough – you’re all skin and bone. Come on, we’ll get you sat down and then I’ll go and get you something to eat.”

“Really, I’m not hungry,” She protested, weakly pushing his hands away from her. “I think…I think it was just Flooing, that’s all…must have gotten the better of me…”

He didn’t look at all convinced as she made her way to her chair, falling into it rather ungracefully. “Tina, I’m being serious; you need to eat some breakfast, especially with the long days we’re doing.” He paused for a moment, studying her. “Perhaps you should go home.”

“No,” She disagreed sharply, shooting him a half-hearted glare. “I told you, Dawkins, I’m absolutely _fine_ – now would you get off my back?”

Dawkins stiffened at her sudden anger, clearly shocked and a little hurt. “ _Alright_ ,” He muttered, and he turned away from her. “I was just trying to look out for you – next time I won’t bother.”

Guilt immediately flooded over her. “No, I’m sorry,” Tina called after him, standing from her seat. “Dawkins, don’t go! Please? I’m sorry I snapped at you, I really am.”

He hesitated before turning back to her; even with the eye-patch obscuring much of his face, she could tell he was deeply troubled. “Look, Tina, I know I’m not your husband or anything, but…but I _do_ care about you a lot. Besides, I don’t think Newt would be too happy if he knew you weren’t eating properly. I know you said you’re not hungry, and I can’t _force_ you to eat or anything, but it would make me feel a lot less worried.”

She sighed, lowering her head – he _knew_ she’d give in at the mention of her husband. “Fine. I’ll eat something, if it’ll make you happy – but please _don’t_ say a word to Newt. He’s got enough to worry about as it is.”

Dawkins nodded in understanding, his facial expression suddenly softer – he knew _exactly_ what she’d been referring to. “Of course, Tina. I won’t breathe a word.”

As she settled back into her seat, willing her stomach to settle down, he hesitated by the door; for a moment he just stared at her, examining her with his one good eye, and seemed thoughtful.

“Tina,” He said suddenly. “I’m not trying to be funny here, but…but are you sure you’re not pregnant?”

Tina couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at him. “What makes you say that?”

“Well…the _morning sickness_ for a start-”

“I got dizzy travelling on the Floo Network,” She corrected, somewhat _sharply_. “I’m not pregnant, Dawkins, I can assure you of that.”

Dawkins just waved a hand. “Alright, fine – I was just wondering since the last time you were this bad was just before you found out you were having Leo. That’s all.”

“I’m _not_ pregnant,” Tina reiterated firmly. “Like I said, I got nauseous Flooing over here, that’s all.”

“If you say so. I’ll be back in a minute then – there’s a coffee shop on the third floor, and that’s bound to have something for you to eat.”

As he left, straightening his coat, Tina couldn’t help but stare miserably down at her desk; there was, of course, no way she was pregnant – the Healers at St. Mungo’s had confirmed three years ago that she _couldn’t_ have any more, no matter how much she may have wanted to. While she had come to accept the fact that she’d never have any more children, more than happy with the three beautiful ones she and her husband had already, it was still somewhat a sensitive subject for her: the _one_ thing she should have been able to do naturally…

 _Stop_ , she scolded herself sternly – she was _not_ going to get sad over this, not now, not ever.

No, there wasn’t any chance she was pregnant of course; it was simply Floo and stress-related nausea that was causing her to feel so awful. It would go away soon enough.

* * *

 

The nausea continued for a number of days – it had started waking her up before Fuzzy could in the morning, making her stumble out of bed for the loo so that she could empty the bile from her stomach.

 _Probably just something going around_ , Tina would think to herself as she brushed her teeth afterwards: _I’m not pregnant, no matter what Dawkins thinks_.

She could barely concentrate at work either; the words on her papers seemed to swim off the page, a sick sensation of vertigo washing over her. She was barely managing the physical training of the recruits either, leaving the room a few times while Dawkins took over so that she could vomit – he always looked worried when she re-entered, as if concerned she might collapse.

On the fourth day of this occurring, he placed a bottle down on her desk.

“What’s this?” Tina asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Pregnancy potion,” Dawkins replied conversationally, as if discussing the weather. “I asked the witch in the shop which brand would be best – said this one was the most accurate.”

She flushed a deep red. “I’m _not_ pregnant,” She seethed, though she was avoiding his eye. “I’m absolutely fine!”

“Tina,” He said, giving her a _look_. “I’m not trying to be nosey or anything, but…but you seem rather _certain_ you’re not pregnant, despite the fact the symptoms match up. Is there something you know that I don’t?”

“No,” Tina muttered quickly, picking up her quill and hurriedly returning to her paperwork. “Absolutely nothing at all. Look, Dawkins, I’m busy – we’ve got all this paperwork to fill out before noon, and I’d rather not have to explain _this_ conversation to anyone as a reason for why it isn’t done.”

Dawkins gave a small sigh, taking his seat opposite her. “Sometimes I wish you weren’t so bloody stubborn, you know. Fine, I won’t meddle anymore – but keep the potion, just in case.”

She huffed, looking between him and the bottle. “I don’t _need_ the potion.”

“Just in case,” He repeated chastely, and he disappeared behind a pile of folders before she could argue.

 _Mercy Lewis…one of these days, I’ll kill him_.

All the same, Tina took the bottle from the desk and tucked it into her workbag – if only to keep _Dawkins_ happy.

* * *

 

The children were playing in the leaves outside that evening, chasing after Fuzzy as they laughed and giggled together; Newt found himself watching them play fondly from the hippogriff paddock, a grin on his face. It was more than easy to forget about wars and danger when he saw them playing, so happy and so innocent.

Ginger gave an indignant squawk, and he turned to look at her. “Yes, alright…” He made sure to bow first, waiting for the creature to sink down in return before reaching for his bucket and pulling out a large chunk of meat. “Here you go, girl – not too quickly.”

As she tucked into her meal, rather satisfied, Newt found himself pondering – the letter he had received at breakfast that morning had troubled him greatly all day, leaving him to mull all kinds of things over in his mind.

 _They want me to let them use my hippogriffs for war_ , He thought anxiously, looking at the beasts; they were so magnificent, so stunning, and the very idea that the Ministry could possibly expect him to place them in the middle of a war was quite simply _ridiculous_. All of his hippogriffs were rescued, having previously been beaten or abused in some way – to put them in a war would be nothing short of _cruel_.

To add to his misery, he had been asked on more than one occasion to return to work on the Eastern front with more dragons; in one particularly scathing letter he had been accused of ‘not putting the effort into helping us win the war’, which he felt to be rather unfair. A few decades ago he would have jumped at the chance to work with dragons in Eastern Europe – and he had done just that.

Of course, a few decades ago, he hadn’t had three children under the age of ten to help look after.

Newt couldn’t leave the children, not now, for if Tina was called to fight then that would be it. He knew her as well as he knew himself: he knew that she would go because she would want to fight for the greater good, to fight was what was right in the world – and if she left to fight, then the children would need _him_ more than ever.

He swallowed the lump in his throat that had formed suddenly; _no_ , he wouldn’t allow himself to think like that – it wouldn’t do well to worry, after all, only serving to make him suffer twice.

Ginger had finished eating now, and she pushed her head into his shoulder; he couldn’t help but smile at her, reaching a hand to softly stroke her ruffled feathers. He was the only one allowed to touch her; while she was tolerant of Tina, the only person she really completely trusted was Newt – he had been the one to rescue and look after her, spending hours soothing her injuries and settling her in.

“You like it here, don’t you?” He mumbled to the hippogriff affectionately; Ginger gave a quiet squawk. “Yes, I thought so. Don’t worry: I won’t let them take you away, girl. I _promise_.”

He wouldn’t let _anyone_ touch _any_ of his creatures – the Ministry weren’t taking a _single_ one to use for the war, not so long as he lived.

As he exited the paddock, making sure the gate was closed and latched properly behind him, he found his gaze drifting to look at his children; they were still playing, throwing clumps of leaves at each other and running around quite happily. They were all so innocent, he reflected, so untouched by this war – and he wanted it to stay that way for as long as possible.

 _They’re not taking me away either_ , Newt thought firmly to himself. _The Ministry can do whatever they want during this war – but they’re not taking me away from my children._

* * *

 

Five minutes were nearly up.

It had been a stupid idea to take the potion, absolutely stupid; why bother? It was going to be grey, it always had been…there was no chance, no chance at all…

Tina started to pace the length of the bathroom anxiously, gnawing on her lip; she could hear the sounds of her three children playing outside in the leaves, Linnet’s voice high and clear as she called for ‘Fuzzy’ the Kneazle; she could also hear Newt’s voice as he tended to the Hippogriff paddock while at the same time keeping an eye on the children.

 _This was a stupid idea_ , she scolded herself, _I was just a bit dizzy and nauseous – absolutely nothing to get worried about._

Still, she had mixed the potion together with a small sample of her blood on a whim and was now waiting for five minutes to end so that she could see if it changed color – Tina knew it wouldn’t deep down, and she suddenly felt foolish for taking the test in the first place. It would stay grey, like it had all the other times in the past.

 _I shouldn’t have bothered_ , Tina thought, _It’s only going to be negative. I shouldn’t have let Dawkins, of all people, plant the idea in my head._

Her watch gave a beep and she turned around, preparing to see the dull grey liquid swirling in the glass as it always had and always would.

The potion was a brilliant _blue_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I’ve referred to one of the many Jewish holidays that occur in the fall, so I hope all the information is correct because I'm not Jewish. Also, because Tina is Jewish I’ve got the headcanon that the kids have been raised to be multi-faith – so they do take part and observe in Jewish holidays. This also means that, because of Hitler/the Holocaust/the Final Solution, there’s quite a bit of worry and anxiety for the family – while it may not be happening in England, it’s distressing to know it’s happening at all, and there’s also the “what if” of “what if Hitler wins/takes over?”. 
> 
> This chapter is shorter, only a few sections, but all the same it’s a finish to the fic. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“So, what exactly seems to be the issue, Mrs Scamander?”

Tina shifted in her seat, suddenly rather uncomfortable. “Well…I took a pregnancy potion yesterday afternoon,” She began. “And…it was positive.”

The Healer was unperturbed. “ _And_?”

She started to fidget with her fingers. “It _shouldn’t_ have been.”

“Mrs Scamander, I can assure you now that not all contraceptive potions are completely effective – it _does_ happen. Now, if that’s all-”

“No,” Tina interrupted quickly. “I’m…I’m sorry, I’m not explaining properly, I…” She took a deep breath, casting her eyes to the floor. “A few years ago, my husband and I were trying for another baby but…but we were told that, because of certain circumstances, it wouldn’t happen.”

The Healer took a moment to read from the notes on her clipboard before nodding to herself. “Let me see…Healer Jones wrote in her report that your womb is ‘inhospitable’, most likely due to the circumstances surrounding the birth of your youngest son: apparition and stress, it would appear. And yet, the result from the potion you took was most definitely positive?”

“Yes.”

The older woman took out her wand from her pocket. “Alright, dear; if you lie down on the bed in the corner, I’ll do an examination so that we can be sure. It shouldn’t take too long.”

As the Healer started to cast various spells and charms, Tina found herself wondering just what she’d do if it turned out she _was_ pregnant; she was thirty-nine now, and while it didn’t seem _that_ old it was still so close to forty. To add, the war wasn’t going to end any time soon, she was needed desperately at work _and_ her three children were growing up quickly – Phoenix would be ten in less than a year, and before too long he’d be starting his first year at Hogwarts. She was all too aware of Hitler’s rise in power too; on his return back to England, Dawkins had told her that the Nazis were rounding up Jewish and other “undesirable” people – they were being transported to camps where they were either forced to work or killed upon arrival. The very idea made her feel absolutely _sick_ to her stomach.

A new-born baby would complicate things tremendously.

It was only a few minutes later that the Healer stopped her examination, suddenly smiling widely. “Well, Mrs Scamander, it appears the potion you took was, in fact, _correct_.”

“You mean…”

“Yes, you’re indeed pregnant,” The Healer affirmed, reaching for her notes. “You’re roughly a month and a half along, by the looks of things – I’d need further tests to give you an exact due date, but I’d say some time around May next year.”

Tina’s head was swimming as she sat up, absolutely _stunned_ by this information. “I don’t understand. We were told _years_ ago that we couldn’t have another baby, that there was _no_ chance of it happening…”

“Miracles do happen, dear, and this appears to be one of those times.” The Healer’s smile faded as she looked at the younger woman. “You don’t seem pleased, Mrs Scamander.”

“I…” She swallowed, unable to think of any words she could possibly say to describe how she was feeling. “I didn’t think we could, and now…I’m just…”

The Healer nodded in understanding. “It’s rather big news, I’ll admit, and it might take a while to fully comprehend. If you don’t mind me asking, does your husband know that you’re here today?”

“No, he’s with our children at home. He…” Tina gnawed on her lip anxiously. “He doesn’t know a thing.”

“Well, I suggest you speak to him about this – it’s going to be a bit of a shock, of course, and I’m sure that the two of you will want to discuss your options.”

“Options?”

The medi-witch hesitated, tilting her head. “Options…as in whether or not you decide to continue with the pregnancy.”

“O-Oh. Right.”

Tina felt her heart drop at the thought of terminating the pregnancy – never once had she _ever_ considered doing such a thing. She was certain that Newt wouldn’t want her to either; he’d be adamantly against it, of course, though if it was something _she_ wanted to do then he most likely wouldn’t stop her.

_Mercy Lewis. What am I going to tell him?!_

* * *

 

“Did you know, Mr Dawkins,” Linnet announced excitedly. “I’m going to be an Auror like Mummy!”

He couldn’t help but grin at her. “Oh yeah? Well, I’m sure the Ministry would _love_ to hear that!”

Dawkins had always enjoyed visiting the Scamander family; he liked children in general, but the three Scamander children he had found himself to be especially fond of. It had been a few years since he’d last seen them, and they had all grown so much – Phoenix was going to be as tall as Newt, by the looks of things.

“This is Fuzzy!” Leo exclaimed, and he lifted his arms to show Dawkins the Kneazle. “He’s our pet!”

Fuzzy gave a low growl, flicking his plumed tail; clearly, he didn’t appreciate being picked up in such a way.

“I named him,” Linnet added.

A Kneazle seemed surprisingly tame compared to some of the other things he was sure the family were keeping: he already knew from Tina that there was a Niffler somewhere, and he’d seen the Hippogriff paddock for himself. He couldn’t help but smile as he reached to rub Fuzzy behind the ears. “Hello, there. Aren’t you cute?”

Fuzzy hissed, springing from Leo’s arms; the five-year-old just giggled and started to chase after him again.

“Dad says he’s not fond of strangers,” Phoenix informed him with a grin. “Don’t take it personally.”

“Nah, I won’t. How have you been, Phoenix?”

The boy shrugged. “I’m okay… I keep seeing things in the newspapers though. Mum and Dad think I don’t see it, but I _do_.” He paused, looking up at Dawkins with wide brown eyes – so like Tina’s. “Is it true? You know…that they’re rounding up _Jewish_ families and sending them to camps?”

Dawkins honestly didn’t know whether to answer that honestly: he had no idea if Newt and Tina would _want_ him to inform their children about such things – and they were quite horrific at that. He, himself, hadn’t seen the camps or anything but all of the Aurors had heard the stories: they had been barred from interfering now, instead told to focus on controlling Grindelwald’s forces…but he’d heard what was being done in those dreadful places, and it was enough to give _him_ nightmares.

A nine-year-old boy would most certainly be traumatized if he knew the full extent.

“From what I’ve heard,” Dawkins said slowly. “Yes…You know who Hitler is, I take it?” The boy nodded. “Well, it’s true that his men are rounding up many different people and sending them away…gypsies, political enemies, homosexuals…”

“Jews,” Phoenix added quietly. “We’re part-Jewish, you know – Mum is Jewish.”

He knew that as well, of course – the Scamander family were multi-faith, and while they weren’t _extremely_ religious they did still observe and celebrate the various holidays in their own way. Though he would deny it, part of the reason he had felt so sick hearing of what the Nazis were doing was down to knowing Tina herself was Jewish – the three children were “part-Jewish”, of course, though he was sure Hitler wouldn’t care to make that distinction at the end of the day.

“Yes,” Dawkins agreed finally. “They are sending Jewish people away too.”

By the time Newt entered the front room, levitating two mugs of tea and sending them to sit on the coffee table, the children had retreated outside to play; the Magizoologist looked slightly frazzled, _tired_ even.

“I hope you don’t mind, but the tea is probably rather weak – milk and sugar are being rationed now.”

“It’s fine,” Dawkins assured him, reaching for one of the mugs as he took a seat. “Honestly, I’m just glad to get _some_ tea – you don’t get to drink a great deal of it in the middle of a battleground, unfortunately.”

Newt sighed as he sat down as well, running a hand through his hair. “I’m afraid Tina’s not here at the moment – she had an errand to run, and I don’t know how much longer she’ll be.”

“I understand. It’s Sukkot this week, right? She’s probably getting building materials for…erm…”

“A Sukkah,” Newt finished, and the corners of his lips turned up. “It’s like a makeshift hut; she and the children _do_ enjoy building them every year – it’s always been fun to see how they decorate it.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t help?”

“I cook the meals – it’s traditional to have them at the beginning and end of Sukkot.”

“Ah.” Being honest, Dawkins didn’t know a great deal about Jewish holidays – only what he’d heard Tina talk about – and he didn’t know whether he really knew enough to carry on this conversation. “Well, that sounds like a great deal of fun; I’m sure the children love it. Other than that…how have you been?”

Newt frowned, all traces of joy disappearing quickly. “Fine, I suppose… The Ministry still wants me on the Eastern front, but I’ve made it clear I’m not going: I’m very much needed here.”

He didn’t need to explain what that meant: when Tina was called to fight (for it was a certainty she would be), he’d be the children’s sole parent and provider. The Scamanders had always had a way of bending gender roles like that.

“I see. I take it their letters have been rather…incessant?”

“Indeed,” Newt sighed, moving his mug so that he could take a sip. “It’s foolish to worry, I know, and usually I wouldn’t bother worrying but with the way things have been getting in Europe, I can’t _help_ it.”

“We’ll beat Grindelwald,” Dawkins told him firmly, though he of course had no idea at all how the war would end. “England aren’t the only ones sending Auror teams in to fight, you know: sooner or later, we’ll beat him.”

The older man shook his head. “That’s not the only thing I’m concerned about – we’ve all heard the stories of Hitler and his…” He swallowed the lump in his throat, suddenly looking extremely unwell. “His _Final Solution_ , as they call it.”

Dawkins felt a chill run through him at that phrase, a knot forming in his stomach. “I know,” He muttered. “It’s absolutely _horrifying_. I can’t even _believe_ it’s happening…that he’s getting away with it…”

“Dawkins, you wouldn’t happen to know…” Newt hesitated. “I don’t mean to pry, but you wouldn’t perhaps know what exactly is going on? What exactly they’re _doing_? The newspapers here haven’t exactly been informative.”

That didn’t surprise him: censorship always omitted a number of facts, both in the muggle and the wizarding world.

“I don’t know a great deal either,” He admitted softly. “Just rumors. They’re not at all pleasant, Newt – they’re enough to give a grown man nightmares.”

“I want to know,” Newt affirmed, and when he looked up his eyes were somewhat teary. “Please, Dawkins, I know it’s awful – but a part of me _needs_ to know.”

Dawkins carefully lowered his mug to the table, avoiding looking at the other man. “Remember, these are just rumors…it _could_ be false information…” He took a deep breath. “I’ve heard that they’re sending people – _undesirable_ people – away to camps. Some of them are put to work, hard manual labor, and others are…well.”

Newt had gone extremely grey as he carefully digested this news. “O-Oh. Right.”

“I’m sure it won’t spread over here,” He muttered quickly. “The muggles will get rid of Hitler soon enough – and if our war ends before theirs, I’m sure we’ll assist in any way we can. I wouldn’t worry too much, Newt.”

“It’s hard _not_ to worry,” The Magizoologist mumbled, avoiding the other man’s gaze. “In case you’ve forgotten, my wife is Jewish and our children are considered to be as well.”

“I _haven’t_ forgotten,” Dawkins retorted, somewhat sharply. “I am fully aware, thank you very much.”

Newt paused, glancing back up at him; after a moment, he sighed. “I’m sorry – that was rather unnecessary for me to say. I’ve just been rather on edge lately, that’s all…”

“It’s alright,” The younger man allowed. “We’ve all been on edge, to be honest – I take it Tina told you I’m returning to Bulgaria tomorrow.”

“Yes. She’s been quite…” Newt pondered for a moment, trying to think of a satisfactory word. “She’s been quite _morose_ all week – she’s worried for you, I believe.”

Of course she was; since the day he and Tina had been made partners, she’d made sure to watch his back if they were on missions, been his friend – it was no surprise she was worried for him really, and he greatly appreciated that.

Having said that, _he_ couldn’t help but be concerned for _her_ too.

* * *

 

The children were relatively easy to coax into bed that night, tired from a day full of helping with the creatures and playing in the vast garden outside; Linnet didn’t even put up her usual fight of staying awake, so exhausted that she was fast asleep even before Newt had finished tucking her underneath the covers. It had been a long day for _all_ of the family, to be honest.

Tina was sitting up in bed when Newt entered the bedroom, dressed in her pajamas and reading a thick book; she didn’t look up as he changed into his own nighttime attire and dimmed the lights. It was only when he clambered into bed next to her, absolutely _shattered_ and in desperate need of a good night’s sleep, that she slowly closed her book and trained her eyes on him.

“I…I need to tell you something.”

Newt’s gaze drifted to look at her, somewhat surprised. “Oh? What is it, dear?”

“Well, I…I…” She started to gnaw her lip, suddenly looking extremely worried. “Today, I wasn’t out running errands – I was at St. Mungo’s.”

“St… Merlin, whatever for?” He straightened up, perhaps more concerned than he necessarily should have been. “Is everything alright? You’re not sick, are you?”

Tina hesitated. “Not _sick_ , but…but I haven’t been feeling _well_ for the past week or so. I’ve been throwing up, and getting dizzy and…and I wanted to be sure.” She looked away from him quickly. “I don’t know _how_ but…but the Healer did some tests, and…and I don’t know _how_ this is possible…”

“Tina, love, tell me,” He prompted gently. “Please – if something’s wrong then I want to know.”

Her voice was no louder than a whisper. “She told me I’m _pregnant_.”

The world suddenly seemed to spin and crash around him at those words. “You’re…what? I don’t understand…”

“I’m pregnant,” She repeated quietly.

“But…But I thought…”

“I know. She was quite certain though.”

Newt sat back, mind trying to comprehend just what was going on: he didn’t understand _how_ this was possible, to be quite honest, considering the circumstances.

“We’re going to have another baby?” He checked unsurely.

Tina nodded. “Yes, it appears so.”

“Well…Merlin,” He muttered, shaking his head to himself. “This is…certainly not what I was expecting.”

“I’m sorry.”

Newt frowned then, eyebrows furrowed. “ _Sorry_? Why on Earth would you be _sorry_? This is…This is _fantastic_ news.” His face suddenly lit up, as if it were finally sinking in fully. “Tina, this is _wonderful_ news!”

“Maybe it is, but…but…” Tina looked at him, and he realized that she was close to _tears_. “But I’m _scared_ , Newt; I read the newspapers and see what’s happening in Europe, what’s happening to so many people there and…and the idea of having a _baby_ in the middle of that…” She shook her head. “I don’t know if I _can_ do it.”

Hesitantly, so as to not alarm her, he placed a hand over her arm. “Tina…”

“What if Grindelwald wins?” She asked tearfully. “What if _Hitler_ wins? What if he manages to beat us, and he overtakes the country? I know...I know what he thinks of people like _me_ , what he thinks should be done about us. I worry every single day, Newt, about what will happen if _he_ wins the war – I’ve had awful dreams about what might happen to the children, a-a-and…”

“Tina, love,” Newt murmured, taking her into his arms. “I know. I know, it’s _awful_ and…and it makes me absolutely _sick_ to think about what is happening over there… But we’re _safe_ here, at least for now. As for Grindelwald…well, you know what the rumors are – he’s too _afraid_ to attack here, too _afraid_ of Albus Dumbledore to do such a thing. For now, we’re safe.”

“I’m not thinking about _now_ ,” Tina stated anxiously, and a tear made its way down her face. “I’m thinking about the future – I’m already so worried about our children, and another one would just make me worry even _more_. I don’t know if I can do it, Newt; bringing another baby into the world when I _know_ about what could happen.”

Newt took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he rested his chin on top of her head. “I won’t let anything happen to our family, Tina. If it _does_ happen – Grindelwald or Hitler winning, or even both – then, so be it, we’ll leave for somewhere safer. Neither of them could take over the entire _world_ , surely.” He paused, and when he spoke again his voice had dropped an octave. “If you really don’t want to do this, then…then we don’t have to. There are ways we can…we can stop this. But, if you really want me to be honest with you, I don’t think this baby is a curse – I think it’s a _miracle_.”

Tina pulled away from him then, still rather teary-eyed, and seemed to study him; after a long moment, she gave a sniff. “Really? You…You really think that?”

“Absolutely,” He agreed honestly. “Tina, we were told we _couldn’t_ have another baby, that it would never happen…and yet it has. Even though it _shouldn’t_ have been possible, it’s happened.” He carefully placed a hand on her abdomen and smiled weakly. “I know you probably won’t agree, but this baby is a _miracle_ – and it’s _hope_ , too, hope for the future. This little life we’ve created…Merlin, we’ve done _this_ against all of the odds.”

The wonderful thing about Newt was that he was so _genuine_ about his feelings to her – he wasn’t lying about this in the slightest.

He was well and truly _thrilled_ about this baby.

Tina’s eyes were blurred with tears again – but they were _joyful_ this time, not sad. “Newt…”

“I mean it,” He reaffirmed eagerly. “This baby…Merlin, even _saying_ it… We wanted this baby for _so long_ , so desperately, and I know that it’s perhaps a few years later than we were hoping, that perhaps it’s _not_ the best time, but…but I’m so undeniably _happy_.”

She beamed at him, absolutely _radiant_ , and leaned forwards to wrap her arms around him. “You’re right…you’re absolutely right,” She agreed enthusiastically. “We’re having a baby…Mercy, we’re having a _baby_.”

Suddenly her worries seemed to have faded somewhat; they still hung in the back of her mind, of course, and they would perhaps remain there for some time – but now the news was really sinking in, what it meant…and she couldn’t _help_ but feel euphoric.

“I love you,” Newt mumbled, pulling away so that he could press kisses to her face. “You absolutely _wonderful_ , brilliant woman…I _love_ you.”

Tina couldn’t help but laugh, resting her forehead against his. “Yes…I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you all know, I am pro-choice; if you want an abortion, then you should be able to have the choice to have one. It’s not something I believe I would personally choose, but I believe every woman should have the choice nonetheless. Just thought I’d clarify that in case!
> 
> There’ll be a fic dealing with the actual pregnancy/birth at some point, I’m sure (this is me we’re talking about here), so…look out for it! :)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed thus far - hopefully the second part will be up soon! :D
> 
> Like what I post? Why don't you check out [my Ko-fi page](https://www.ko-fi.com/meganwalsh)?


End file.
